2004.04.15 00:26 "[Tiff] Large TIFF files", by Lynn Quam

2004.04.16 17:23 "Re: [Tiff] Large TIFF files", by Joris Van Damme

I don't think there is anyone actively working on this. However, I propose that we re-initiate a discussion on this topic here on the list. This has been percolating in the back of my mind for several years.

Another approach of course would be to alter all offsets to be 64 bit which would be much more general, but require more substantial changes to supporting libraries. It would also pretty much require a new magic code and we would not really be within our rights to call the result TIFF.

I would be all in favor of this second, more clean, more logical, and less trouble-prone approach.

I hope this very interesting discussion remains alive and open. To hopefully help out, I dug up a list of possibly related archived mailing list threads.

http://www.asmail.be/msg0055475336.html
http://www.asmail.be/msg0055472553.html
http://www.asmail.be/msg0055503273.html
http://www.asmail.be/msg0055470571.html
http://www.asmail.be/msg0055475339.html
http://www.asmail.be/msg0054552040.html
http://www.asmail.be/msg0054552042.html
http://www.asmail.be/msg0055243147.html
http://www.asmail.be/msg0054687882.html
http://www.asmail.be/msg0055244266.html
http://www.asmail.be/msg0055470506.html
http://www.asmail.be/msg0055453930.html

I plan to make 64bit TIFF the first topic in the 'index by topic' archive section, but I'll have to invest some time splitting the portal over several pages first, 'cause the portal page is already so long as to become a bit clumsy, I think.

By the way, I would forsee a 64 bit TIFF specification (which I imagine we would have to call something different - perhaps BTIFF - Big Tagged Image File Format) being developed essentially only defining low level structural details, with all higher level concepts (tag lists, values and so on) defined by reference to the TIFF 6 specification.

Future's so bright, gotta wear shades. ;-)

Joris Van Damme
info@awaresystems.be
http://www.awaresystems.be
Download your free TIFF tag viewer for windows here:
http://www.awaresystems.be/imaging/tiff/astifftagviewer.html